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The humble CD was invented way back in the 80s. High time we ditch those archaic media and switch to electronic storage right? A good MP3 or MP4 player these days is much more than just that. These little devices are multifunctional power tools too. Many have FM (with recording), ability to view photos, videos, function as a dictaphone and as portable storage. â€¨The market is flooded with options (including Chinese ones) of different types, brands, memory capacities, features and prices. And this is exactly the reason why this buying guide should help you.

The basic requirements
A media player is actually and definitely not one-size-fits-all. Available in different shapes and sizes, these players make use of different types of memory and supports varying formats. So the idea is to realize your requirements as well as the budget, and then buying the suitable media player. Broadly, the market showcases a slew of media players comprising a PMP with huge storage space to accommodate voluminous data like music, videos, pictures etc. Apart from this, if you want something light and small, you can get a flash-based player, which is more durable, smaller and longer lasting. Moreover, Hard drive-based players will give you more megabytes per rupee that you spend.

What type?
If you're looking to take along your MP3 player for your morning jogs and warm up exercises in the gym, a flash-based player would be ideal since they don't skip a beat, are resistant to shocks and temperature variations and easy to carry owing to their smaller size. Moreover, they are engineered to offer comfort with no moving parts and battery backup to look for. Some examples of small flash based players are the Creative Zen Stone Plus, iPod Shuffle, Samsung U3, iRiver iFP-899, Zune HD and Sandisk Sansa Clip. To make sure that you sweat out without hassles, the player is designed in such a way that they can be clipped onto a piece of clothing or be strapped on your arm for your daily workout.
Adding something novel to the list is the new Sony NWZ-W250 series, which is also apt for people looking for something voguish while sweating out. The series comes with new and improved water-resistant exterior and design, making it comfortable while exercising. Moreover, the player comes in wearable style and is completely free from tangled wires, hence giving utmost comfort and less stress while working out.
There are larger flash-based players with color screens that can display photos, text and video too. For example the Philips GoGear SA1ARA08, Samsung Yepp T10, Sandisk Sansa View, and the Apple iPod Nano.

Music enthusiasts who have an extensive music collection can opt for a 80GB or 120GB player like the Apple iPod Classic, Creative Zen Vision M or Microsoft Zune. These players usually have bigger screens, extra features like games, Wi-Fi and organizer and feature a longer battery life to keep you company on long journeys.

Spanning across the slew of portable media players with memory upto 80 GB, one can come across Archos 605 Wi-Fi PMP and Archos 704 Wi-Fi PMP. The versions lie mid-way between a PC and a TV, helping in streaming of content from PC to the PMP. Other versions also support recording of TV programmes and songs as well as videos.
How much storage?

You'll always need more, is something you should remember. Get the maximum storage space that you can afford, and if the player has a card slot to further expand the memory, nothing like it! If you have a larger memory capacity, you carry a larger number of files, but you can also carry higher quality (high bitrate) files with ease. Plus the advantage that you can use the extra capacity as portable storage. Generally the thumb rule applied is 1 MB of memory will give you approximately one minute of music playback with standard quality files. If you are going to watch a lot of video on your device, the amount of space you need will do up dramatically.

Not just audio, I want moreâ€¨In addition to music, if image viewing and video playability is what you need, there are many options with flash-based players now. Almost every flash based player with a large color screen will support popular photo formats and video. Keep in mind that many of these players will not natively play any video files stored on your PC. You will have to convert them to a smaller size and compatible format using (usually) supplied software.
Display

A 2.5-inch screen is good enough for viewing photos and videos, but the larger the better. The Apple iPod Touch has a 3.5-inch (Diagonal) widescreen and is great for photos and videos. You can also install apps on it and use it like a PDA. If you really want power and flexibility, go for the Cowon A3 which comes with a huge 4" TFT-LCD display, supports almost all the formats, has TV-out and direct line in recording from any video source. Even the Creative Zen Vision W has a bigger 4.3" high-res screen, native DivX support and TV-out.

Size does matter after all
Weight, size and in general the form factor of your PMP is a crucial factor. This will dictate how much you carry it around and how useful it becomes, especially if you travel around a lot. There can sometimes be a huge variation in weight (from 30 to 350 gms) and form factor (the size of a thumb to a pack of cards or even bigger)

Can my Lithium-ion go on and on?
Lithium batteries are common among all players and pack in more power. The one worrying trend is the built in, non user-replaceable batteries. The first Creative Zen hard drive players had removable batteries so that you could easily carry a spare or replace it when the time came. Now, if you run out of juice while on the move, you're stuck.

The Extras
If you want a player to function as your complete entertainment center, the choices are narrowed down. The Apple iPod Touch has many of the features that a PMP has plus more. It has built in Wi-Fi (so you can configure your email on it, browse the web, watch YouTube videos etc). And thanks to the thousands of apps available in the App Store (both free and paid), you can add on functionality and games, just like you do with a smartphone.

Other players like the Cowon A3 and Creative Zen Vision W have extras like games, FM (with voice and FM recording), an organizer (clock, calendar, alarm) and in some cases even a document Viewer.
Some other often neglected features include an equalizer (if you'd like to customize your music), quality bundled earphones, speakers and maybe in some cases, even built in Bluetooth to wirelessly transmit audio to compatible headphone.

Making money on the internet is all about being number one. It is very similar to many sports where the first place the winner receives the most. Similar to sports second place can also be lucrative. Many articles I have read write about knowing your market, finding your niche and dominating until you become number one. I decided I was going to take a peak at my statistics for my blog and see how things look. My blog is new to this world, it was born in 2011 on a very interesting topic.

I was totally amazed at my numbers. People were actually reading my content, surprising as this was to me it was what I wanted to have happen. The internet is an amazing technology that allows people to do so many things that they could not dream of 10 years ago. Remember the phone when all it did was send and receive voice? Now we have video chat, instant messaging, picture sharing, social networking the list goes on and on. The internet can also be used to make money and gather information. There are millions of people and companies that are freely sharing information on the internet. My kids use the internet for school projects and to email their teachers.

The statistic that stood out for my page was the different types of operating systems being used to view my blog. Could there be some kind of relationship between the operating system being used and the kind of person who is looking for information about managing the family food budget?
The number one operating system had 70% of all page views. Windows dominated this statistic, I am not sure if this surprises anybody.

My blog is about sharing information to help people manage their food budget. With the economy the way it is people are looking through out the internet for information to help them cut costs. Grocery shopping and meal planning are two ways to achieve substantial savings in cash.

Window users could be suffering a substantial amount of financial pain from job losses or other financial events and looking for helpful information more than any other operating system user. It could be the other operating system users are more entrepreneurial in spirit and look for ways to make money instead of having to cut back on expenses.
I will have to monitor the statistical data I have received and continue to update through future articles.

I wonder which group of browser users would save more money when it pertains to grocery shopping?
The one thing everybody using the internet has in common is the fact they use a browser to manage how they view the internet. There are numerous kinds of browsers out there to select from and I am not writing this a tech person who knows all the differences of each browser. I am writing this because many people are experiencing financial pain with the way the current economy is treating them and browse the internet for solutions.

The internet is a very useful tool to gather information about any subject. You can find substantial information about coupons, tips to save money, find a job, know what is going on around the world and in your own back yard, phone, chat, video chat.

All these things are very important. The question I have is how do you use and what kind of browser do you use if you want to find information about how to feed a family on a limited budget. Is there some kind of interesting fact nobody has looked at when a correlation is made between grocery budget and browsers?
There could be a unique relationship between who is frugal and what type of browser they use. Let me share a little bit of information that triggered this article.

The statistics for people who look at my blog about feeding a family of four for under $100 a week has produced some interesting numbers. Now I am not a tech person but this is kind of obvious, even though the numbers are small. Just to be clear, I rarely mention product or promote any kind of brand. This is not about that but I will mention one browser here because the article will not make sense with out it. The most popular browser to view my blog is Firefox.

Firefox has a 48% view rate and a commanding lead of the top three browsers viewing my blog. Does this mean people who are looking to save on their grocery budget prefer Firefox? If we expanded this number to 100 Million views would the numbers still be fairly close? Maybe this is just coincidence because the population that has viewed my blog has not reach a million views yet. I could be onto something important relating to how frugal Firefox viewers are. We will keep tracking these numbers and I will write another update article in a few months.

Our free new book "The Scratch" will show you the basics of three great meals you can use to start your new family budget. It has great meals you can use to feed a family of four for a combined cost of under $16.00.
Rick and his wife have been able to reduce their grocery budget by almost 50% since they started this challenge in 2010. Their 15 years of grocery shopping for the family has led them to start a blog that includes using leftovers to save big, money, meal planning, cooking utensils, recipes, and grocery lists.

The emergence of the iPod and its rapid adoption gave Apple the keys to explosive growth. From the iPod to the iTouch, iPhone and now the iPad, the think tank at Apple has found a way to make their products more than electronic gizmos designed for everyday use. CEO Steve Jobs has masterfully sold investors and the public on the 'experience' of these devices. The public is buying and profits are great for Apple; even in the current economic downturn. It appears that Apple has an app and device to fit any situation; but how dominate is Apple? Is this dominance a perception or fact?

Apple to Apples...
Many comparisons have been made about the differences of Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows. The general consensus is that Windows is unstable and inferior where Mac OS X is clearly superior from UI to stability. Given the mass appeal of the Apple's device designs; you could be left to believe that there really isn't any use for the Windows platform other than to view spreadsheets and crunch numbers.

Generally, it is easy to forget that Microsoft's strength and stock in trade is software, whereas Apple is grounded in a proprietary model. From Apple's inception Apple built software to run on its proprietary hardware. This legacy goes back to the days when computer companies built their own systems from scratch and marketed those systems to build brand awareness and generate sales. Microsoft chose to build compatible software to run on initially the IBM PC which eventually led to Microsoft's MS-DOS to be installed and ran on different PC manufactures' systems.

I'm a PC, You're a Fanboy...
Looking over the years, you can see the effect that the two business models have had on both companies. In the early eighties, Microsoft was a new startup kind of company while Apple was the darling of the industry, by the nineties the roles had changed as Microsoft rose in stature and Apple all but disappeared from the scene.

Changes in technology pushed the companies in different directions as well as market share and size. Due to Microsoft's expansive growth in the PC market, Apple chose to stick with what worked best which was the proprietary model it started with. By the early 2000's; file sharing sites like Napster led to the development and popularity of the mp3 player.

This gave Apple the opportunity to innovate and tap into a growing market which Microsoft wasn't quite quick to jump into. Over time, Apple continued to develop new and appealing products like the iPhone. Apple's experience of building hardware has helped Apple develop a line of products consistent with what the public is currently looking for in personal use devices.

Microsoft's, relative inexperience in hardware development has hindered Microsoft's ability to capitalize on new trends in the marketplace. The development of the XBOX 360 for Microsoft has been a large success, but it could be said that the success of its' online gaming service; XBOX Live, has made a bigger splash. It's a recurring theme with both companies; both enjoy being the 'top dog' at different times.

Why Can't We Be Friends?
Fast forward to today; where we have Mac stores and ads showcasing the hip, fresh Apple device of choice. A healthy dose of perspective is needed to understand that despite Apple's apparent ubiquity; Microsoft is also enjoying its own measure of widespread success. Windows 7, the company's latest os offering; has been widely hailed as a great release by consumers and industry insiders alike.

Kinect, the motion sensing device designed for the revamped XBOX 360 console has also been widely praised as a victory for Microsoft. Apple is enjoying a fair amount of visibility these days, and without question well deserved. In every segment that Apple is succeeding in however; its competitors are also chipping away at Apple's lead and looking for an opportunity to innovate. Google has risen in size and stature that rivals both Microsoft and Apple.

Google has the largest search engine, a widely accepted browser and a phone operating system in Android that has seen rapid acceptance in the mobile phone segment. Like Microsoft, Google places emphasis on software rather than hardware, but it does have products that are exclusively designed and marketed for Google. The company is a kind of hybrid in its business model; a little Microsoft and a little Apple. The industry is starting to see that just like Apple and Microsoft before, it is clearly becoming Google's time to shine.

Conclusion
Dominance? No. Perception? Yes. The eighties belonged to Sony; the Walkman and later the Discman. Those devices' popularity was the equivalent of Apple's iPod, iPhone and recently; iPad. History has clearly proven that the 'dominance factor' that Sony enjoyed was simply an arc in time that all innovative companies share. Soon we will be looking back on Apple's past triumphs while marveling at the newest company enjoying the market accolades that Apple used to. Maybe it won't be a device; but some form of bio-tech interface. Either way, we'll know soon enough.

These days a USB Flash Drive is something that most people have and use. Since it is easy and convenient to use most people depend on it for file transfers. What they don't realize is that this makes the USB susceptible to getting infected with a virus. If you often use your flash drive with several different computers then you need to make sure that you keep it virus free.

Be Careful. One of the easiest ways to be sure that your USB does not get infected is by being careful. Avoid using it on public computers and use it only with computers that you know are safe. It is also a good idea to avoid lending it out since you do not really know where others may use it.

Scan It. Some of us do not bother to run a scan before using our flash drives because it seems like a waste of time. This does not take very long and it can save you a heart break later. Before you use it on your computer make sure that its been scanned. It is also a good idea to do a scan before you open or run any files that you have put in the flash drive. This way you'll know whether or not to continue using the USB.

Prevent Infections. Like with many other things prevention can be better than a cure. Instead of finding a way to get rid of a virus on your flash drive you can just keep the virus at bay. The easiest way to do this is again by using a USB anti-virus scan or a USB clean up. This way you can make sure that you get rid of any virus or infection before it can be put into action.

These three things are all very simple and easy to do. You just need to make sure that you take the time out to do it. Keep these in mind especially when using a promotional USB or your external hard drives.

Armon Rostami is a recognised expert in the field of design and brand management. He has over seven years commercial experience in this area.

Nowadays audio compression formats are not so many. Besides, there are also few image compression formats to be used. I guess you may have heard of some formats such as GIF, JPG and BMP. But the two most popular audio formats are WMA and MP3. As for the WMA format, it is a kind of older audio format. It was produced by Microsoft Company in order to work with Microsoft's Windows media player.As the WMA compression format was only devised for WMA files, it is not able to be converted to other formats.

As for the audio quality, there are obvious differences between MP3 and WMA formats. When the phone line speed is around 30kbps, WMA is really a proper audio format. At this speed, WMA could access an FM level of audio quality even though the surroundings are not quiet enough. At the speed of 128kbps, Microsoft declares that the WMA is almost the CD-quality. But nowadays WMA is not popular any more among users. Its compression offers comparatively small audio documents and these documents need less processing power to run. So this format becomes less popular when MP3 comes into being.

At the year of 1991, the MP3 audio compression was developed by the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany. Compared with WMA, MP3 provides higher quality sound for it adopts perceptual audio coding to compress CD-quality sound. Consequently, MP3 has become the widespread criterion among audio broadcasting and usage. It offers the CD-quality sound at proper compression sizes with high speeds. But remember that MP3 quality will likely suffer the same as WMA at low bitrates.

There are several reasons if your computer turns on and off by itself. Before troubleshooting the issue you need to identify what is the root cause of this serious problem.

Causes:
Faulty Hardware.
Damaged Registry Entries.
Virus Infection.

Follow the steps given below if your computer turns on and off by itself.

Fix Hardware Issues:

If you are wondering why my computer turns on and off by itself, verify that power supply voltage switch is set correctly.
It would be wise to unplug/uninstall the device that you recently added to your computer. For instance, remove web-cam or any other device that is linked to this problem.
Unplug and reattach your input devices. Replace power supply.

Disable Unwanted Services running in the background:

Sometimes unwanted services running in the background are real source of the problem due to which the computer turns on and off by itself. Disable all unwanted services running in background. Follow these steps.
1. Click on Start button.
2. Go to Run and type "msconfig" press Enter.
3. In System Configuration Utility click on Startup Tab.
4. Disable unwanted startup services from here.
5. You are done.

Fix Registry:

Major source behind computer turning on and off by itself is Windows registry. Registry is database where all information related to applications and hardware is stored in form of entries. Manual modification of registry is not easy. You may opt for some reliable registry cleaner and PC optimizer software.

Remove Viruses from your computer:.

Your computer can turn on and off by itself due to virus infection. Scan it with reliable antivirus and remove viruses.

ComRes.dll is a dynamic link library file that belongs to the Windows operating system. It was created by Microsoft to enable Microsoft programs to work properly, and is essential to your Windows system so it should not be removed. The errors being reported about this file are primarily caused because Windows cannot process the file properly.

The errors typically appear when you try to use one of the many Microsoft programs. To do away with the annoying error messages, you need to identify the issues with the file and fix them. This tutorial will help you repair comres.dll errors on your PC easily.

What Causes These Errors?
The errors that appear on your screen will be typically in these formats:

"Comres Not Found"

"This application failed to start because comres.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem."

The various error notifications are primarily caused by a faulty comres.dll file, which means Windows is unable to correctly read or load it. This will happen either because the file has been damaged somehow or possibly because it has somehow gone missing. The file can be accidentally removed when an application that uses the file has been uninstalled.

The file can also be replaced by an older version when a program that uses an older version of the file has been installed. The problem can also be caused by a malfunctioning program that uses the file, or by damaged registry settings linked to the file.

How To Fix These Errors

The usual repair method with comres.dll errors is to firstly ascertain that the file and the programs that use the file are all working properly. To do so, you need to re-install programs that cause the error messages to appear.

You must remove them first from your system by clicking Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs (for XP) or Programs and Features (for Vista and Win7 users), and select the faulty program from among the list, and then click the "Remove" or "Uninstall" button. When uninstall is complete, restart your PC and when Windows resumes, insert the CD installer in the drive and install it once more.

Many comres.dll errors and other serious problems come about because of damaged or corrupted registry settings. This large database is highly vulnerable to damage, and because it is so important, damage here can manifest itself in errors like the comres.dll error you are experiencing now.

You can resolve this problem and lots of other system errors by cleaning out the damaged settings inside the registry using a reliable registry cleaner application, that can efficiently scan and repair errors. We highly recommend that you download and use the different features of "Frontline Registry Cleaner" to fix 99% of errors and faults found in your system.

The Microsoft DLL file called Hotplug.dll is an important file used to allow "hotswitchable" hardware devices like the PCMCIA and other USB devices to be removed safely from your PC without requiring a reboot every time the operation is performed. Hotplug.dll is the standard file utilized by nearly all device drivers and Windows operating systems to plug and unplug devices into the computer.

Errors linked to this file usually appear whenever Windows fails to read and run the file correctly. Several factors cause this error to occur, like faulty components of the hotplug.dll file, or issues in your registry. It may also be the case that other programs trigger the error to be displayed. For you to resolve the problem, it is important that you identify the real cause.

How To Fix The HotPlug.dll Errors

The first step in fixing the Hotplug.dll error is to determine if any of your programs may be responsible for the errors. This is quite easy to do, as you will notice the alerts every time you attempt to run the program. Once identified, you have to remove it from your system, and re-install afterwards if you still want to use that particular program.

To uninstall the program, you have to select "Start" and then go to "Control Panel" and click "Add / Remove Programs" (for Windows XP) or "Programs & Features" (for Windows Vista & 7). From the list of programs that populates, choose the culprit and then select the "Remove" or "Uninstall" tab. Instructions will be shown on your screen, and you have to follow the command prompts to remove the program. Once process is complete, reboot your computer. This will remove the problematic program. To re-install the program, you can either download the installation file from the internet or use a CD/DVD installer.

The last technique to solve this problem is to clean the registry of your computer. The registry is a huge database where vital file settings and options are kept. Windows will access the registry settings it requires for it to perform its operations whenever you tell it to do something (like open a program). Unfortunately, this sector easily gets damaged, corrupted, infected, or otherwise clogged up, making Windows unable to read the needed settings. If and when this happens, problems and errors like the hotplug.dll error can easily arise.

To fix this issue, you have to download and run a registry cleaning program. One of the best ones is the highly recommended "Frontline Registry Cleaner". This tool is favored by computer industry professionals and has been proven to eliminate 99% of errors in your system and bring back your PC to its normal condition.

Many people who are interested in the iPad are looking for comparable tablet PCs from technology sources other than Apple. Motorola has released the Xoom to try to meet this demand, and a lot of people want to know how it stacks up against Apple´s hugely popular tablet. One should consider the features of both products to make the best choice before purchasing. Here are key features of the Motorola Xoom vs Apple Ipad:

The iPad is slightly smaller than Xoom with a 9.7 inch screen versus the Xoom's 10.1 inch display. Both are new back-lit LCD type screens that have become popular in portable computing devices. The Xoom has a better wide screen ratio than iPad, however, which renders images more accurately with less distortion.
Xoom´s dual core processor beats iPad with its single core processor.

Xoom also has more RAM and HD capability. Apple came out with the iPad before this technology was available, so it is not surprising that Xoom is more powerful. The new generation iPads are expected to have more advanced processors when they are released, so Xoom may have competition in this area very soon.
The Xoom has the most recent Google Android operating system release, which is Honeycomb 3.0. This is said to be a contender for the iOS 4.2 platform that Apple includes with iPad.

The rumor is that Android is faster than iOS, but since it is very new and still in development, the Android OS may have bugs in the beginning. Even so, the Xoom allows consumers to use software from other vendors, while Apple will only allow users to download proprietary applications. Xoom wins points for having more options in that department.

A big complaint for Apple iPad fans is the fact that iPad has no USB ports or outputs for HD. For the cost of an Apple, this seems like a real sticking point. Xoom includes BlueTooth outputs as well as microUSB ports so one can connect Xoom to other devices to transfer data. Xoom is also said to have 4G capability to be ready for use when that resource is available. The iPad does not have this for the current generation.
Comparing Motorola Xoom vs Apple iPad could make some Apple fans a little jealous as the Xoom wins by far. Of course, Apple will likely release a more advanced iPad once Xoom makes its debut. Until that day, one might consider the Xoom over the iPad if they want a more powerful media tablet to stay entertained on the move.

Wldlog.dll is a dynamic link library file created by Microsoft and employed by the Windows Live Desktop logging function. This file is necessary for the Windows Live Messenger program and is crucial to its sound performance.

The file experiences errors when you attempt to access the program and Windows categorizes it as having been corrupted or misplaced. It's necessary to fix the issues at the source of the problem with the wldlog.dll file so that you can use the Windows Live Messenger program again.

What Causes WldLog.dll Errors?

The wldlog.dll errors that you are encountering are normally produced because Windows is not able to read the wldlog.dll file correctly. Normally, this is the case when the file has been placed in the wrong location or has become corrputed to the extent that it cannot be processed anymore. Another possible reason for the error is because of a fault with Windows Live Messenger; the application itself could be having issues that are reflected as the wldlog.dll error.

When this happens, you will not be able to use the program. You have to fix whatever is causing the problem to stop the error from appearing. Simply follow the steps below to find out how to perform the necessary repairs to your wldlog.dll file.

How To Fix These Errors

The first task is to find the program is responsible for the error appearing, and then to re-install it. If there is more than one program causing the error, then re-install all of them.

To do this, select the Start Menu and then open the Control Panel and click Add/Remove Programs (or Programs and Features for some later Windows versions); you will see a list of names of the programs currently installed in your computer. Among the list, locate the program or programs that are making the error message appear. Click either REMOVE or UNINSTALL to remove this program. Once the program is uninstalled, you can re-install it again using either the CD or by downloading a new installer from the internet.

Finally, you should clean the registry. The registry is a central database that holds sensitive sets of data related to your programs and files. These settings instruct Windows on how to correctly configure your applications and files. Unfortunately, when this database is used frequently it often becomes damaged, and as a result, errors like the wldlog.dll error may surface. However, the registry can be repaired easily, using an automated tool to do the job for you. One of the most recommended products of this type is the Frontline Registry Cleaner, which is the cleaner of choice for most computer technicians. It is an automated tool that will fix and maintain the important data in the registry. It effectively located errors and resolves them.

High precision optics as well as detailed optical instruments are extremely valuable in many fields of studies. Optical systems and instruments that are state-of-the-art are necessary in areas like astronomy, science, oceanography, optical metrology, quantum mechanics, fiber optics, physics, remote sensing, seismology and many more.

These high-precision instruments demand an advanced engineering and the highest degree in craftsmanship in order to produce a quality optical solution such as these instruments.Optoliner systems are used for various purposes. Instruments like autocollimator, camera testing, camera test patterns, camera test software, interferometer and alignment telescopes is used for different purposes.

The Optoliner System K-Series is the modern version to products that provide a reliable, accurate and efficient tool to the television camera test.The K-Series Optoliner System is available in 5 model versions that provide another image that would fit any given camera. The test pattern projector is the heart of this system. This system projects sharper and distortion-free images and high uniformity of light. This system allows the test engineer to check the sensitivity, linearity, geometric distortion, color registration, light level registration, system square wave response, gamma and the resolution as a contrast function of a test pattern. The full line neutral density filters allow the testing of cameras on an extremely low light level.

The K-Series Optoliner System can be operated in daylight, and it is remarkably compact. With K-Series Optoliner System, filters, target patterns and illumination systems can be replaced or removed in a matter of seconds. There are companies out there that are ready to assist their customers in redesigning models for specific applications that will increase a variety of magnification, better uniformity of illumination, adding filters to spectral bands, adapting to nonstandard camera mounts and many more.
The digital multipurpose meter can measure color temperature, lamp voltage, three decades of illuminance and everything that displays on the panel meter. The Optoliner projector is coupled to the television camera while the readings are monitored continuously. The detachable, incandescent illumination system integrates sphere with three light bulbs.

Optoliner systems are contained in a carrying case in order to protect them in transportation. The major components of an Optoliner system include; the Incandescent Illumination System, Optoliner Projector, Internal Probe and Cable, digital multipurpose meter, the power supply, Set of three Spare Light Bulbs, the meter, the detectors and two test pattern slides.
All test patterns have an identical dimension, and they can be used on a standard projector models. The accessories of the test pattern have their purpose and most are to provide information to the test engineer regarding the condition of the camera.

The 0×81000019 backup error is a common occurrence each time you create a backup for the files and programs in your computer using an external hard drive or USB drive. Most of the time, these errors occur on computers which operate on the Windows 7 server.

What Causes The 0x81000019 Error?
What could be the reasons why this error appears? The general cause of this error is the failure of the computer to fully create an effective backup for the files and programs into a USB driver or external hard drive. If the System partition that has an average size of 10mb is not able to administer the backup process (Shadow Copy), then the error will show up and appear on your screen. Watch out for this error message: "A shadow copy could not be created. Please check "VSS" and "SPP" application event logs for more information. Details: the writer experienced a non-transient error. If the backup process is retried, the error is likely to occur." To find out how to resolve the issue with this error, follow the outlined steps below.

How To Fix The 0x81000019 Error
The first thing to do is to check that the System Partition space is enough. This can be done by following these steps:

Go to START> My Computer> Manage. Select the STORAGE tab> Disk Management.
Look at the data on screen and verify if the System Reserved Partition is 100 MB.
If yes, then select the volume or the size and click PROPERTIES.
View the information there and evaluate the free or the used space. Remember that in creating backups, the System Partition space has to have the minimum 40MB space.
If the amount is less than this, then proceed to step two. You will have to pick a location where the system volume will be placed. Take note that the initial partition of the MBR disk is the one and only area where you can produce a system volume.

Next, you can opt to use an additional boot partition that can store at least 490MB so you can make a new volume. After that, run command prompt and put in ".exe /s C:\Windows /s F:"; run DISKPART and then, type in these commands: DISKPART> volume; FDISKPART> active.

Finally, it's recommended you download a registry cleaner tool. The most effective product today is the Frontline Registry Cleaner. It is recognized as a specialized tool that deals with the maintenance and repair of the registry. This sector is quite problematic because all the necessary files and settings are stored there. Most of the errors come from there too. When error messages show up, the registry can be one of the leading causes that brought about the error. The best fix is to use a tool rather than do it yourself because the task needs a high level of delicacy; the data is too sensitive to afford mistakes.

Computer problems are numerous and a headache. Solving such computer problems poses confusion if you are not trained for that trade. Some computer problems are so easy to resolve and most of the time is exasperating. But what if you can identify and solve the most common computer problems one may encounter? Fixing your own computer is such a reward and it saves you $$$.
Let us now state the most common computer problems and the quick solutions. This will come handy and suitable to any computer user whether technically or not technically inclined.

Slow Computer
This is caused by many factors both software and hardware. If the cause is due to computer hardware problems, then it might be better to let a more experienced technician fix your computer. Slowing of your computer due to hardware issue is usually pointed out to a small capacity RAM, overheating processor, and or a overheating video card. This can however be solved by replacement or upgrade or adding some fans and reseating of the peripherals. But if is a software issue, then you can fix it. Slow computers are mostly attributed by driver issues, low disk space, and virus or malware infection. These are the most common computer problems that we usually encounter and even makes life harder when you can just fix it yourself.

Update Your Device Drivers
Driver issues can easily be resolved by running a good driver fixing programs that automatically fixes and updates drivers for your computer. Also try to free up some space on your hard drive because low disk space can terribly slow down your computer. Consider deleting unnecessary files and uninstall clutter programs and games that hogs up your disk space. Aside from that, try adding more virtual memory for your computer.

Scan Your Computer With A Good Known Antivirus
I am not selling any antivirus products but I certainly recommend you to have an antivirus installed in your computer. This is very important because losing data due to neglect on the destructive capability of viruses pays a big price. Computer virus "eats up" your RAM and Hard Disk space thus significantly slows down your computer. So why not consider installing an antivirus?

Run A Registry Cleaner or Optimizer
Believe me, I doubted registry cleaners and optimizers before. But when I started learning how to fix computers so many years back, I now strongly recommend computer users to use registry optimizers for their computers. As a computer service technician, I always have a registry optimizer at my rack. Registry optimizers boosts your computer's performance significantly.

These are the most common computer problems that common people can fix. You don't have to be a technician to solve simple and common computer problems, all you need to do is learn and save money. More tips, beginners' troubleshooting guide and tutorials are provided at this great computer hardware servicing nc ii tutorial blog.
Efren works as a full time Computer Hardware Servicing NC II Instructor and a part-time computer hardware repairman.

With today's announcement that the iPhone 4 will be coming to Verizon in February, Apple has finally broken the chains of exclusivity with AT&T. As an iPhone user (and by default, an AT&T customer) since day 1 in 2007, I am extremely happy to see some competition for us iPhone customers' business. And hopefully some lower monthly bills as well!

But should you scrap that AT&T iPhone and move over to Verizon? That really depends on how you use your phone. Initial reports show that plan pricing between VZ and AT&T will not be all that different. But there are some distinct differences between the ways each company presents the iPhone. I've listed a four key differentiators below:

1. Verizon's CDMA vs. AT&T's GSM - If you own an AT&T iPhone and want to move to Verizon, be prepared to buy ANOTHER iPhone 4. You cannot simply "transfer" the device over to Verizon's network. The technology and antennas are completely different. If you're an international traveler, the Verizon iPhone will not be compatible with most networks outside of the USA, unlike most GSM or dual-mode phones. So, an ETF (Early Termination Fee) on your AT&T contract and a new Verizon iPhone will set you back $400-$600.

2.Surf and Talk - With AT&T and GSM you can talk on your phone while you surf the web, but with Verizon and CDMA you cannot due to a limitation in the way CDMA merges the voice/data spectrum. Personally, this is an extremely important feature for me that I can't live without. When Verizon finishes deploying their LTE network this issue should be moot. (Probably around iPhone 5 next year)

3. It's the network stupid! - These are phones after all, and the quality of the network is critical. According to the majority of surveys and tests, Verizon's network quality is superior to AT&T's, both in coverage and stability. Where I live I have zero problems with AT&T's service, but in other areas I have been told it's horrendous.

4.Wi-Fi Hotspot - One of the surprise features Verizon announced today is the iPhone Hotspot. The Verizon iPhone will allow you to use your phone as a mobile hotspot, allowing you to connect up to 5 Wi-Fi enabled devices and share the iPhone's 3G connection. Why hasn't AT&T enabled this? See #3...
The Verizon iPhone is a slightly different physical design. The antenna locations have been changed which resulted in different placement of the volume and mute buttons. This means that cases and bumpers for the AT&T iPhone will not fit correctly on the Verizon iPhone. The Verizon iPhone also lacks a SIM card slot for obvious reasons.

MacWorld has compiled a nice comparison of AT&T and Verizon rate plans. There will probably be changes in each company's pricing strategy now that there is competition, but here they are as of 1.11.11. http://www.macworld.com/article/157071/2011/01/compare_verizon_att_plans.html
If you're considering a new iPhone or switching to Verizon and have any questions, feel free to leave a question.

Typing at the speed of thought and more...
As a Solutions Architect in the IT field, I enthusiastically bring new technologies to my customers. When I'm not bringing the best technology has to offer to my customers, I experiment with my own bits of the digital universe I have at home. Modern personal electronics like computers, game consoles and smart phones come with powerful processors and advanced features that to do amazing things.. Most of us have at least one of these items in our homes, but don't take advantage of these new powerful features. Use these great items in new ways and you'll be amazed how they will simplify your life.

Speech to text: Using speech to text software to compose email has been a technical reality for quite some time. Install a small device (about the size of a half dollar coin) into your car, combine it with any bluetooth capable cell phone, and now you can compose and send the same email while in your car using only your voice For anyone who spends the most of their working hours in a car, speech to text software creates a huge productivity boost. Integrate a few devices you may already have in your home and control your computer, phone, radio, and even your house with your voice. Taking advantage of open standards and simple configuration utilities, you can use voice control to make your life more "hands free".

Video collaboration: Video collaboration has a dramatic positive effect on business, strengthening bonds with remote colleagues and customers. New low cost HD cameras, fast internet access, and hosted solutions make true video collaboration a reality at lower prices than ever before. A well planned video collaboration session can replace an in-person meeting, and using a hosted solution makes the setup simple. Incorporate video collaboration into your work using features included in your laptop, phone, or game console and get the most out of every conversation.

Automation: This category is often overlooked but can simplify or eliminate many manual tasks. Automation capabilities are built in to many personal electronics you already own and can be accessed using a computer, phone, or game console. The benefits of automation start on the desktop of your computer and can even extend far past that into automating lights and appliances in your home or watching your front door. Almost every electrical item in your house is capable of being automated or remotely controlled. The use of automation technologies is really only limited by your imagination and technical prowess.

The rapid progress in technology and adding to the technology resources is proving tougher each day to keep track. At times, it often happens that just when you have done all the research on a new gadget the inventors come up with something new. Then the question arise how to keep yourself updated. To solve the problem here are some tips how to get information of the techno-world.

• Doing internet search by opening search page like Google and type "new technology", you will get access to the information of latest improvements and developments regarding technology.

• Through internet, you can visit technology blogs to read about practical experience and views on a new product launched currently in the market.

• Look for information in the technology magazines that is one of the best options to gather information since they come out frequently.

• Look for the web version of that magazine by typing in the name in the search page; you are likely to find something that will shade light on your quarries.

• You can also visit specific technology sites that specialize in technology related information.

• Check the advertisements in your newspaper. The companies want to sell their new electrical or electronic item will advertise in the newspaper. You can then go to the store to check it personally.

• Even if you do not plan to attend the classes in technology in the local college or University at least find out what they are offering buy browsing their courses. If you come up with something unfamiliar, you have never heard before you can do your own online research.

As said previously you are bombarded with new inventions each day flooding the technological world. However, all these inventions have one purpose, to simplify your life. You have the mobile phone letting you talk while you walk, the laptop letting you stay in contact with the world 24 X 7. Similarly, if you keep yourself well informed of the technological improvements then you are the one to benefit from it.

When one plans to start a business, the one thing that comes in every one's mind is that what will be the right connection or the right proxy server that one should go with, as when talking about browsing with safety and reliability than going with the right proxy and proxy providing company is really very necessary, as making any haste decision might cause you a great loss.

When it comes to business, everyone's needs differ with each other in number of ways, as different people conduct different kind of businesses; however if you are running a call center and you have clients / customers from different locations of the world than surely one necessitates a private proxy, as this type of proxy enables you to get access to every location of the world without even revealing your location. Private proxy is best for those as well, who are way much concerned about their privacy, many large multi - national organizations necessitates a private proxy as they want their dealings to be 100% private and confidential, having such proxy is also a great way to protect your network from different kinds of scammers and hackers.

Most people prefer to go with free proxy, as they think they are safe and secure in this way, however everyone knows that nothing is available for free, if someone is giving you an offer for free proxy then surely he will try to make money out of you from some way or the other. If you are way much privacy conscious than always buy a private proxy for yourself, as these free proxies are no good for anyone!

The main reason that why one should not go with such free proxy is that, when you log on to one's site and you are using their free proxy to access over the internet, then surely they will be monitoring your each and every activity. You might be hidden from the others but you would be getting noticed or monitored by the proxy site whose proxy you are using. Once you subscribe to these free proxy websites, then these free proxy providing website might add some spyware or adware in your system to notice your full activity and along with that they might send you a whole lot of spam messages and emails, therefore its evident that such free proxy sites sooner or later will take money out of you to cover their costs and other expenses.

A proxy can be said as the gateway or the code to access the internet from one place to another. In short we can say that if one wishes to browse over the internet he needs to have a proxy server. The best thing about proxy server is that you don't need to have a server with special requirements as it works well with both light and heavy machines as well as servers.

Many large sized organizations have their own proxy server, as if they want an extra added security or if their organization necessitates extra browsing accessibility or whether they want more stability and reliability when it comes to internet connectivity. Other than that many organizations like to browse over private proxy just because of the fact that they want their browsing to be secure!

People prefer to go with private proxy more, as it allows browsing to be much faster and reliable. Normally a proxy's life ranges from 12 to 24 hours because after that search engines ban that specific proxy, just for the protection of their system.

When one plans to buy a private proxy, he can surely find a great number of ways. All you need to do is to log onto the internet or search through the right search engine with the right keywords so you may get variety of options to choose from. There are a great number of internet based companies that use to sell such proxies to other people for their home or work use. However selecting the right company to buy a proxy is much as important as your safety does.

When buying a private proxy one should look deeply about his personal or business requirements. When buying any proxy when should look in the first place that whether it is compatible with SOCKS latest version as well as with HTTP, as these two are the diehard need for any web browser to access the internet. While selecting the right proxy provider you should look whether what is the total turn around time of these proxies and after how much interval their proxies are rotated.

Other than private proxy, you may also find shared, international and exclusive proxy as well! However all these proxies vary from one another in number of ways, therefore before buying any of it read the features and benefits of each one of it or else you might end up with a wrong deal or the one that is less beneficial for you.

Windows comprises of mini type of programs which is termed as gadgets. A gadget provides information immediately and extends facilities for easily accessing to tools which are used very frequently. For instance, one may use gadgets for displaying the slide show of picture or watching updated headlines continuously.

Why one should utilize desktop gadgets? Desktop gadgets have the capability for keeping information make available tools ready for using by anybody. As an example one can watch headlines for news just next to one's open programs. In this way if anybody wish to keep record of what is being projected in the news when anybody is working, one will not have to close one's windows for doing the same and can view the news headlines keeping one's windows in open condition. One can also use the feed headlines of the gadget for showing the latest headline news from the sources one chooses. One will not have to close working on one's document as the headlines will remain visible all the time. If anybody is interested for viewings any headline then one may click at that headline and the web browser directly open the contents of the headline.

A gadget is small type of technological object such as an appliance or a device which has a particular kind of function but very often it is thought as an unfamiliar type of thing. Gadgets are considered as cleverly or unusually designed in contrast to the normal type of technological objects when they were invented. The word gadget was originated in the nineteenth century. There is dispute about the etymology of the word "gadget". A popular story behind the invention of the word "gadget" is that the company which constructed the "Statue of Liberty" built a mini type model of the monument and gave a name of the same in the name of their firm.

However the evidence is contradicted with the reasoning that the word was used already previously in the nautical circle, and the fact was that it did not get popularity, in USA at least, till the end of the world war.
In regards other story for invention of the word gadget which is obtainable from the sources of other kind is that the French word "gachette" which relates to many pieces mechanism in connection with firing, or from the French word "gagee" which means a small type of accessory or a tool.

Why would you replace your desktop with a laptop and what are the best desktop replacement laptops, you ask? First of all, let's consider the reasons:

Portability
For starters, more and more people prefer the portability a laptop provides. You cannot carry a desktop around that easily so the best desktop replacements are indeed laptops regarding the portability issue.

Power Saving
A desktop computer's power supply can suck up to 1000W of power which can inflate your monthly electric bill quite a bit. Why go for these power guzzlers when you can get a one of the best desktop replacements out there, a laptop? A laptop can run on batteries so, when you're not charging it, it can run pretty much only on its battery.
Newer versions come with newer battery technologies which can last up to 12 hours on a single charge. Laptops are indeed the best desktops replacement when it comes to saving power and decreasing your monthly bill.

Space Requirements
If occupied space is your main concern, then the best desktop replacement is indeed a laptop due to its limited space requirements. With a desktop you can get to occupy a whole desk, considering all the peripherals, monitor and the computer case. Also, many users are multimedia junkies so the whole contraption can get even larger with additional surround sound systems and many USB gadgets that have already hit the market. Why not keep it simple and replace the huge space occupied with a laptop and, if it suits your needs, get a small mouse for your laptop. That's pretty much all you need and you get to save up on a lot of space in the process.

Internet Connectivity
Wired or wireless internet access? That's the question when considering a replacement for your desktop PC. With wired internet access, you can only connect your desktop to the internet using a wired (fiber, cable, etc) connection and you can't take it anywhere with you. With a laptop to replace your desktop, you have the portability issue solved, along with gaining access to wireless internet access present pretty much all over the place in our current times.

Many times people complain that there notebook computer dose not run like it used to. It really depends on how and where you use it as to whether or not it continues to function as it should. Below are 5 tips to keep your notebook computer running well.

1. Keep it on a flat and level surface so the air can flow through the computer to keep it cool. If the air cannot pass through the computer then the mother board will get hot and cause the system to over heat and cause damage. In some cases the computer will shut off and not reboot until it cools off. If this happens there may be some permanent damage but the computer could still run but you may notice it runs hot more often and slower than normal.

2. Depending on your notebook computers configuration you may notice a jerky motion while viewing items on your screen. Like viewing videos, playing music, or just opening up a spread sheet. This may be a problem with the capability of the video card. If you have a screen saver set and a desktop back ground picture on you will need to change them. Set both of them to "None". Now shutdown the computer, wait 15 seconds and turn it back on. You should see an improvement now.

3. While using your computer do you run out of drive space? Check to see how many videos and pictures you have saved on you computer. These types of files take up a lot of room on your hard drive. Move them to a thumb drive or burn them to a CD and delete them from your computer. This also goes for any large data file you may have. Then check your recycle bin. The files you delete are all in the recycle bin and this takes up drive space. Go to the recycle bin and empty it. This permanently deletes these files. Now you should not have a problem with running out of drive space.

4. Some programs are memory hogs. They will take up all the memory that you computer has and then the system uses your hard drive for virtual memory. This means that the system will take some of your hard drive space and use it like it uses your memory chips. This works for most application and normally does not effect the operation of your computer. But if you notice after launching a program and then using it for a short time the computer starts to get slow then you need to do a memory up grade. You may need to consult with a computer expert for this.

5. Some notebook computers have rather small hard drives installed in them from the factory. These drives are just enough to hold the operating system and some data files. But if you are running more on your notebook then this and you find yourself always running out of drive space then you simply need to upgrade your drive. This is not an easy one to do in a notebook. You will need to consult with a computer expert on this one. Be sure to let them know you what to keep all your data files on the computer. This lets them know they need to back the drive up before the upgrade. A drive upgrade for a notebook computer usually means the existing drive is removed and a new one is installed. I always ask for the old drive to be returned to me. The reason for this is that if your new drive goes bad you can put the old one back in.

Digital photography is something that came into existence due to the sheer efforts of some of the technology experts, who devised mechanisms in such a way so as to make it better and easier than the older mechanism of photography involving analog cameras, and photosensitive films.

The development of optical sensors helped this in a great way. Though capturing a digital image was now easier the storage mechanism for these digital cameras was still an issue, until the flash memory came into existence. Memory cards that made use of flash memory made it possible to store large quantities of images and also helped in easy transfer of images from the camera onto any storage media.

This was made possible due to the small size of the flash card which was achieved by reducing the number of moving parts, and by improving access speeds which was achieved using a large number of transistors that worked together in the form of an EEPROM chip, which lets the user perform multiple Read and Write operations on the memory card. This made it possible to reuse the memory card over and over again.

The basic technology used in these memory cards is called as Fowler-Nordheim tunneling which basically makes use of a number of transistors that constantly change the value from 1 to 0 and vice versa by making use of voltage. The different types of flash memory cards including the SD card, CF card, Multimedia card etc; make use of the same technology for their working. Though there are times when this very advantage, of frequent Read and Write operation, leads to data loss the presence of data, recovery utilities reduces the chances of permanent erasure of the data.

5., the setting of the system restore
Click start "-" all program "-" appendix "--" system tools "-" the system restore ", in the system restore interface, remove "in all drive off the system engineering reduction" in front of hook, in "of the available drives" area, where XuanXi TongPan division, click "Settings" into "the system restore Settings" window will be "to use disk space" transferred to 5% or more small, "ok" returns, according to the above methods will other division set disabled

9. Close the " function of "Internet time synchronization""
Ordinal click start "--" control panel "--" date, time "regional and language options," and then click "cancel before the tick." Internet time ", automatic and Internet time service synchronization ".

The global positioning system or the GPS is a modern device that uses satellite technology in the form of a map to locate a position anywhere in the globe. It can locate where you are, where you want to go and were your vehicle is any time. You can buy a systems either at the local shop or on the web. Matter of fact, many cars now have one.

They are getting smaller and smaller, have become more reliable and accurate. It now works as a digital map for travelers in order to be aware of their exact location. Furthermore, it provides the best routes and even the locations of establishments.
With one of these systems in your car, the probability of getting lost is low. This is also a sure way to avoid hassles. If you are unsure of what GPS to get, there are factors to consider. When buying GPS systems, you need consider how frequent you're going to use it. It's up to you if you are going to use it often. If you are, then you should do well to get the expensive one or at least the user friendly GPS system model. The thing is - the expensive ones are not always the easier to use. Some cheap models have been proven to be easy to use though they are not of the best quality so you may end up buying a new one in a year or so.

There are four types or kinds of GPS systems to choose from. The four types are car navigation systems, portable outdoor units, marine units and PDA/GPS hybrids. The most recognized among the four types is the car navigation system. It provides the user with the exact spot whenever you're on the road. There's no more need for a map.

There are models with screens that show maps and directions. It is mostly placed on the dashboard even and on pedestals beside the dash. For cars with not enough space and cannot hold the GPS, the smaller GPS is the better option.

The moment you decide that you will be buying one of these units, you should prioritize the functions. It's best to get one with multiple functions. Good ones are ones that give directions after you've keyed in the address or chosen the specific location on the map.

Buying a system that can also detect voice instructions is a good idea. Your GPS system must have real-time wireless network to evaluate information and thereby giving visual representation. Only a few models give visual location maps which are not at all useful when you're on the road alone. Visual representations process information whenever you're on the right track and whenever you're on the correct turns.
If you're thinking about your budget; the price of GPS unit depends on the features it has. The more advanced the features then of course, the more expensive it gets. However, there will always be a unit that can fit your budget. The cheaper models usually range from $100-$400.

How to clear internet history depends on the browser you use, I will cover in this article how it is done in the three major browsers used today; Internet Explorer, Firefox and Google Chrome.
Before I get into how to clear internet history however, I want to bring up a few reasons why you might want to:

1) Clear up space on your computer. Your browsing history takes up space as pages are cached, cookies are created and other information is stored. If you never delete your internet history these files will build up and eventually have a significant impact on the performance of your computer.

2) Anonymity. For whatever reason you may not want people knowing what internet pages you have been browsing. This can be for a variety of reasons ranging from not wanting a spouse to find out what you bought her for her birthday to hiding the fact that you have been on Facebook all day from your boss!

3) Web development. A little known issue regarding internet history and cache comes up when you are doing web development and making lots of changes to a website you own. After you upload your changes and navigate to your site you may end up seeing the old version instead, which was cached on your computer. Clearing internet history will often eliminate this issue.

How to clear internet history:

Internet Explorer 8:
Click on the "safety" tab, and select "Delete Browsing History" (also accessed by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Del) and ensure the boxes labeled "Temporary Internet Files", "History" and "Cookies" are ticked and push on the "Delete" button. That is really all there is to it!

Firefix 3.6.13:
From the "Tools" menu select "Clear Recent History". When the pop up appears set the time range to clear to "Everything" and ensure the "Cache", "Cookies" and "Browsing & Download History" are ticked. Once those are selected click "Clear Now" and you are finished.

Google Chrome:
Click on the wrench on the right hand side of the task bar and select "Options". Once the pop up appears click on the "Under the Hood" tab and at the top click "Clear Browsing Data". In the next pop up ensure the top 4 boxes are ticked ("Clear browsing history", "clear download history", "empty the cache" and "delete cookies and other side data"). Remember to set the "Clear data from this period" to "Everything" and click on "Clear browsing data" and you are done.